Also, I reached out to the Alliance for Toll-Free Interstates to get their reaction to the above blog. They had a few things to say.

Tolls are good for trucks?

Perhaps the most eyebrow-raising excerpt from Cramer’s blog is the following quote:

It’s less about what Congress does and more about finding states like Rhode Island to help drive change,” D.J. Gribbin told participants. Earlier discussion had centered on The Smallest State’s decision to impose truck-only tolls, and the opportunity it would create for freight carriers to avoid the delays and costs associated with urban interchanges.

Gribbin was previously the White House infrastructure policy adviser to President Donald Trump.

I have received plenty of feedback on my reporting on the Rhode Island truck-only toll. Not once has a trucker informed me how grateful they are about the toll. Not once.

In fact, the American Trucking Association is suing Rhode Island because of the truck-only toll. Meanwhile, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is suing Pennsylvania for its turnpike toll. The message is clear, truckers see zero benefits to tolls. In fact, tolls are a burden on a trucking company’s bottom line.

Federal tolling ban

Cramer starts off by claiming that U.S. motorists lose approximately 64 million hours each year in congestion that “could be prevented if the federal government lifted the ban on tolling existing interstate highway capacity to help fund its reconstruction.”

More than 100 years in the books, and lawmakers never thought to lift the ban? Well, actually…

Interstate toll pilot programs have been attempted twice: once in 1998 and another attempt in 2005. In 1998, the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) established what is now known as the Interstate System Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Pilot Program (ISRRPP). It has been a failure, which we’ll discuss in the next session.

In 2005, a similar program called the Interstate System Construction Toll Pilot Program (ISCTPP) was authorized under Section 1604(c) of the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users “Only one of the three slots authorized under this program was reserved and no projects received final acceptance into the program or executed tolling agreements,” according to the Federal Highway Administration’s website. A complete failure, the pilot program expired August 2015.

Even when given a chance to lift the ban, history has proven that no one wants a new toll, so why keep kicking a dead horse?

“Consider why there is a federal ban on tolling interstates to begin with: tolls disrupt interstate commerce and hurt the economy,” ATFI told Land Line. “Where is the wisdom in seeking out ‘ways to work around the ban?’ There is nothing ‘unique’ about the opposition tolls faced in the three states that had the option to toll an existing interstate; tolls are uniformly detested by the public, and once policymakers learn the facts about tolls they too reject them.”

Tolling loopholes

In addition to the bridge toll exception, Cramer points out that there are about half-dozen other exceptions in existence. This wraps us back around to ISRRPP.

FHWA has been accepting applications to fill those three spots after the first three states failed to do anything. Missouri tried to impose a tax on Interstate 70 but neither Missourians nor some lawmakers wanted anything to do with it. Consequently, the pilot program failed. Other states considering filling those three slots are likely to experience the same backlash.

“In its entire history, the ISRRPP has never seen a successful pilot be built under its purview,” ATFI pointed out. “Every time a state has attempted to place tolls on existing interstates, voters have rejected the proposal. The FHWA should abandon its call for new state tolling pilots and instead focus on real solutions that taxpayers actually want.”

Just because governments want a toll does not mean the people do. Fortunately, we live in a democracy that allows the people to shape such decisions.

One reason motorists do not want a toll on the interstates, and part of the reason of the federal ban in the first place, is because they are already paying for those roads with federal tax dollars.

Furthermore, paying more to travel disproportionately affects lower class drivers. Even express lanes favor those with more money, suggesting not being able to afford the express toll is grounds for being late. No one should get preferential treatment to a public service simply because they make more money.

“Politicians like tolling because it lets them defer their leadership responsibilities while lining the pockets of their donors on Wall Street and Silicon Valley,” ATFI commented. “American motorists despise tolling because tolls make life harder for everyday drivers and create enormous new economic burdens.”

Better solutions than tolling

Considering IBTTA represents those who will make a huge profit off of tolling, its position on the matter is anything but surprising. Why would the Poker Players Alliance favor the online poker ban? Same difference.

If we’re hurting so badly for road funding, there are other solutions that yield favorable results. In the short term, increasing fuel taxes will go a long way. Fuel taxes affect motorists equally in terms of socioeconomic status. The rich guy will pay just as much for his fuel as the poor guy. Unlike a vehicle miles traveled tax, rural commuters will not pay more in fuel taxes. It’s the fair, equitable option.

If tolling is going to be on the table, then use them to replace the fuel tax. Don’t add to the fuel tax. Double taxing motorists because the government cannot efficiently allocate funding for roads is punishing the wrong people. Find the best option, make it uniform for all motorists, and stick with it.

I’ll give ATFI the last word:

“The truth of the matter is tolls on existing interstates have been banned with very good reason, and efforts to make tolling easier are simply efforts designed to hurt America’s economic future.”

Tyson Fisher, staff writer and research associate, joined Land Line Magazine in March 2014. An award-winning journalist and tireless researcher, his news reports, features and blogs bring depth to our editorial content, backed with solid detail. Tyson received his journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Archives

Archives

About Us

Tandem Thoughts is where the Land Line media team shares opinions, commentary, humor, videos and candid discussion. We drop honesty bombs, we poke fun, we offer provocative analysis of news and events of interest to truckers. No topic is off-limits.